Textures of the Beach

Natural beauty is everywhere if we just slow down and look closely.

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Reflections on a hike

I went for a short hike with my son and took a few quick shots.  The temperature was mild and the wind was calm.  Very peaceful.

It was the end of the day and the sun was setting.  There was still enough light to capture some reflections on the pond.

A pair of ducks wandered around but otherwise it was pretty quiet.  We were looking for frogs and turtles but just found the ducks.

Sky Top Lodge and Hike

Here are some more shots from my recent trip to the Pocono Mountains.  The old Sky Top Lodge is beautiful.

 

The cottage we stayed in was pretty cool.

We hiked to the waterfall and lake which were nearly frozen solid!

But the views were breathtaking and the hike was great.  I love the colder weather as long as you are dressed properly!

 

 

Indian Ladder Falls

We took a long weekend in the Poconos in Eastern Pennsylvania.  Enjoyed a lot of winter activities including hiking, sledding, ice skating, dog sledding, zip line, and a tour on a UTV.  The UTV tour took us to the top of a mountain for a beatiful view and to the bottom of the valley and into Indian Ladder Falls.

The “steps” of the ladder allowed native American Indians to escape capture by climbing the”ladder” to the top of the falls.  There are steep walls on both sides of the valley and the trail ends at the falls.  By the way, in August, the area hits a dry season and the falls dry up.  No water flows during that time.

Remains of times long gone

 

 

 

We took a day hike into the Pine Barrens in South Jersey.  We found a lot of what we expected…sand, streams and wildlife. But then we found this old tower.  It appears to have an oven of sorts in it that had been modified over time.  Below is an explanation from Wikipedia.

During colonial times, the Pine Barrens was home to various industries. Bog iron was mined from bogs, streams, and waterways, and was worked in furnaces at Batsto, Lake Atsion, Ferrago, Hanover, and several other locations. Iron from these early furnaces was instrumental in supplying the American military with weapons and camp tools during the American Revolution and the War of 1812 and the Second Barbary War. The bog iron industry fell off in the mid-19th century when iron ore could be mined more cheaply in Pennsylvania. Other industries such as paper mills, sawmills, and gristmills rose and fell throughout the years. Smaller industries such as charcoal-making and glass making also were attempted and met with varying degrees of success.